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And the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying:
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"Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities.
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They shall have the cities to dwell in; and their common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals.
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The common-land of the cities which you shall give the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around.
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And you shall measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits. The city shall be in the middle. This shall belong to them as common-land for the cities.
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Now among the cities which you will give to the Levites you shall appoint six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. And to these you shall add forty-two cities.
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So all the cities you will give to the Levites shall be forty-eight; these you shall give with their common-land.
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And the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives."
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Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
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then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there.